Could I request the English…

Could I request the English experts and the Authors to do a post on ‘Writing Styles’?
I have come across this term quite frequently and every time it stumps me. I fail to understand what kind of styles are there and how to identify one from the other. Have asked this question a few times (including on Writing201) but the answers haven’t cleared the concept in my mind. One of the Happiness Engineers shared this response and this link – https://dailypost.wordpress.com/2014/05/10/perennial-whats-your-style/
I am sharing it here for everyone’s benefit but would also like to know what our in-house experts say.
Also, if someone could shed light on what writing style I have, that would be most helpful.
and should I dabble in other styles? Does being able to write in multiple styles make one a better writer?
Admins – Sorry, this post turned out this long.@dalees107@drmegsorick@sashay909@pamkirst2014 and others too are welcome to join in the discussion, please.#idea#feedback#discussion #forum #creativewriting

Great post and I’d love someone else to help us! I just read that article and know I need some help. My biggest hindrance is that I have to write fast when on-line so I cut and paste from webs about places we visit in our travels. I’d love to write in a better style-like some of my favorite travel bloggers write. I didn’t see my style listed which means I have no style! 😮
But I am laughing at myself, too. Much of my blogging is for our memories when we get old and are off the road! 😀😃😃

What you apologizing for?
One size fit all, I say!
About English. I’m out. I don’t know much about English or writing. My real language is ASL.
Interesting seeing you all talking about writing style. I didn’t know words are fashionista!

Oh I love this question, it’s so interesting! But I’m very busy right now… I’ll look at your style later and think about a proper reply but if you struggle with style, I think you should read this book:
Exercises in Style by Raymond Queneau
It’s originally a French book but it’s been translated to loads of languages, English included. But if English is not your mother tongue best check if it’s available in your mother tongue.
It’s the same story retold in 100 styles. Very funny and should explain more about style than any textbook! 🙂

Wandering Soul
3:17 pm on February 10, 2016

shall certainly look it u. Thanks, Susan! 🙂
I shall look forward to your response on the style. No hurry, whenever you have time 🙂

Well, I thought about it now… I don’t think you should fiddle with your style for your blog, definitely not at the moment, not in the blog’s current reincarnation. It’s a chatty and personal style and it goes well with the blog as it is. Makes for nice reading.

As for the story you’re writing about Ravi… as far as I can tell it fits the genre of the story but it’s not a genre I read a lot of, so I think you’ll do better to take someone else’s advice on that. 🙂

I think you can improve your style in general by reading a lot and writing a lot – I know this sounds a bit obvious! But if you want to write, say Mills & Boon romances, you should read a lot of them and then practise imitating that style. People who read genre expect the style and kind of plot line that’s characteristic of the genre – a bit like you go to MacDonald’s, you know what you’re going for. In general, style is the result of the interaction of yourself the writer, the audience you write for and the purpose you write for. So you use a different style to write a magazine article for a finance weekly from the one you employ in recounting a family anecdote on your blog. I would imagine you already use different styles in your every day life even if you’re not particularly conscious of this so I wouldn’t stress too much about it. As long as you keep in mind your audience and the purpose of the piece you should be fine. In your case I don’t think you could keep your personality out of it, if you tired! 🙂 (That is a good thing.)

Thanks, Susan! It does make sense. And you are right. Writing is an extension of me, so I wouldn’t be able to keep my personality out of it even I wanted to . That would come out quite forced and so not me.
So, I shall take your advice 🙂

I am definitely no expert, but having read a lot of your work, I believe you have a descriptive writing style. You take the time to describe the scenario, imagery, characteristics of those involved. I agree with what is written on the article, each one’s style depends on what it is that you are writing about. A writer may approach writing a piece of fiction differently to writing a post that conveys a lot of facts and information.
As a reader, I prefer descriptive yet simple sentence structures. I don’t like it if I have to read a sentence or a paragraph 3 – 4 times before I can wrap my head around what the author is trying to convey. A few big words here or there is fine, but when a paragraph is so full of words that drives me to the dictionary every time I try to read it, that would put me off. But that’s just me, there are probably who enjoy having the opportunity to learn the new ‘big’ words from reading complex sentences/paragraphs.

Wandering Soul
4:53 pm on February 10, 2016

Thanks, Ra! That helps. In that case, I am glad you enjoy descriptive writing 😀 Although, sometimes, it may have many details and may put off the reader. I do try to consciously avoid doing that.

Agree with you, there. A fiction piece would be written differently as compared to a factual or a humorous one.
I am of the opinion that good writing is one that easy to comprehend and yet uses big words judiciously 😉
One or two big words is perfect. I do enjoy learning new words. I am trying to learn a new one each day. (Thanks for today’s new word – proroguing, Niyati @niyati16 🙂 ) but an entire paragraph that goes over my head would put me off too.
Thanks, Ra! for also replying to my question 🙂

I very unexpectedly wound up teaching two writing classes this term, for a colleague with health issues, and that has me thinking about trying to address two style-related topics in our forum: modes of writing and levels of language. I thought I might talk about the levels of language–when it’s okay to let the rules go flying, when slang and contractions are fine, when those colloquialisms make no sense to our readers. When do we choose to use first person? What’s the benefit of, or the audience for, third person? When is it okay to include a vulgarity–or, do some writers believe there’s never an okay time for that?

All of that wraps into a consideration of audience, which helps us determine the voice we’re using, I think. This is what I was planning to write about this week–and I’m hoping it ties right into the issues of style you’re raising…

Exploring the modes might also tie in–I think we all have our comfort genres–fiction or poetry, personal essay, etc. I’m thinking in terms of essay styles in particular–writing an interesting, fun, readable, but really meaningful evaluation essay, for instance. Bringing our personal voice to life in a compare/contrast piece–elevating it out of the realm of academic assignment to thought-exploring commentary. Persuading. Defining.

Maybe some of us could explore our favorite essay styles–would that all tie in to a kind of comprehensive and on-going style discussion? I like to think style is something we can talk about for a long time, without ever getting stale!

Pam

Wandering Soul
5:40 am on February 11, 2016

Thanks, Pam! I shall go read it now.
I would love to read about the conventional “writing styles’ that are there, and also how writers adhere to or move away from them. My aim is to understand different styles of writing and see what category mine falls into. As Rashmi said it’s descriptive and narrative. Is it also personal or impersonal? Is it formal? Is the writing too basic and do I need to use better vocabulary?
I look forward to your post on determining voices. I do think that would help a lot.
Thanks for your reply 🙂

Uh, I haven’t written essays since university – or anything else worth writing since really – and it was a shock to discover when I started blogging how difficult I found it to keep it tight and coherent! Clearly you can get out of practice with writing same as with everything else in life. This is when you realise that that boring old advice that people always quote at you about ‘the only way to improve your writing is to write’ is true. 🙂

I’m waiting for the day Google tells me my “binder” is full. I finally had to increase my iCloud storage and set my phone on auto backup bc it’s become a critical tool for me in writing and making notes and drafts.

Hey Piyusha, being a new blogger,this question has been ringing bells in my mind too for quite some time. After reading all the replies from the experienced ones, I got some insight now. Thanks all

Wandering Soul
10:46 am on February 18, 2016

Agree, Vandana. A lot of it is confusing, especially for someone like us who just started.
Pam has alrady shared a post on writing styles. Here, it is – Doing our level best
Dr. Sorick has promised to do another post on this for the benefit of us newbies. I look forward to that. 🙂
Thanks, Pam and Dr. Sorick. @pamkirst2014@drmegsorick